Plate-printing machine



E. P. sHELDoN PLATE PRINTING MACHINE Dec. 21 1926.

' e sheets-snaaiV 1 Filed'AuguSt 25. 1923 Dec. 2l 1926. 1,611,246 f E.P. SHELDON l PLATE PRINTING MACHINE '1923 e sheets-sheet z -FIG.Z.-

Filed Augusv 25 /af Z INVETOR.

I v Avrs.

Dec. z1 ,1926. 1,611,246

E. P. SHELDON PLATE PRINTING MACHINE Filed August' 25, 1923 6Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 21 1926.

E. P. SHELDON PLATE PRINTYLNG MACHINE 1923 6 Sheets-Shefet 4 FiledAugust 25 Dec. 21 1926.

E. P. SHELDON PLATE PRINTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed August 25,1923 E. P. sHELDoN PLATE PRINTING MACHINE Filed August 25|, 192s Dec. Z11926.

6 ISheets-She'ai'. e

" IIIIIIIHIIIIIIHIIHHHHll1VA Patented Dec. 21, 1926i'.

UNITED STATES lP .LtTEN'r OFFICE.

EDWARD P. SHELDON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNO-R, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO R. HOE AND CO., INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION vF NEWYORK.

PLATE-PRNTIN G MACHINE.

i This invention relates `to lcertain improvements in power plateprinting machines.

to provide a It is the especial object of the invention small powerplate machine suitable for printing bank notes and the like, in which asingle plate is employed and in which there is provided a bed for theplate which is vgiven a reciprocating motlon past the inking, wiping,and impression members, and the movement of which is such .that -,thesupport is momentarily stopped vso l jlooking 1n the directionn of arrow6 of Fig.5.

that Ctheplate may be polished by the operator before impression;

A further object, of the invention is to provide a. power plate machinewhich will print on both thin material, such as a sheet of paper, or ona relatively thick material, such as cardboard and the like, and toprovide an impression mechanism which, when thin material is to beprinted, will act to seize and carry the sheet during the impression anddeliver the printed sheet, or where thick material is to be printed,will act to feed the material between the impression cylinder and theplate, the plate carrying the printed material away for manual deliveryat the end of the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for heating theplate support and the plate during the travel of the plate through themachine so that the ink may be maintained at any desiredworkingfiuidity.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved mechanismforv tripping the impression cylinder, of such character that theeylinder may be tripped off impression from different points inthemachine. l

lVith these and other objects not specifically referred to, theinvention consists in certainenovel parts, arrangements andcombinations,vwhich will be described in connection with theaccompanying drawings. and the novel features pointed out in the claimshereunto annexed.

Referring now to these drawings- Figure l is a diagrammatic sideelevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a vpower plateprinting machine embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view, partly in section and partly brokenaway, of the sheet feeding end of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3" is 'a plan Viewv ofpart of the construction shown in Fig. 2,the view being taken in the direction of arrow `3 of Fig. 2.

.Figure 4 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow; 4of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly in section, ofthe plate carrying bed and its associated parts.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional side View Figure 7 is a side View.,partly in section, on an enlarged scale of the impression cylinder, feedboard, and co-operating parts.

Figure 8 is a partial side view of the construction shown in Fig. 7,illustrating another position ef the parts.

Figure 9 isan endview, partly broken away and partly in section of theconstruction shown in Fig. 7, the view being taken in the direction ofarrow 9 of that figure.

Referring now to these drawings, 1, 2 indicate suitable side frames'rising from a base 3l in which the various parts of the mechanism arepositioned. In the particular construction illustrated, the power platemachine embodying the invention -includes a single plate support 4 whichis given a reciprocating motion back and forth in the machine, .bneathan impression cylinder 5, its co-operating abutment 6, wiping-mechanism7 and 8, and an inking mechanism 9, the plate 1ndicated at P being inkedand wiped and then brought to one extreme: end of the machine where itis gradually slowed down momentarily stopping to permit polishing afterwhich the impression is effected.

Referring first to the bed supporting driving mechanism, inconstructions embodying the invention in its best form, the drivingmechanism will be of such character as to reciprocate the bed back andforth under the Various agencies with which it co-operate's with an easyeven movement, and in which the bed at extremes of its movement willgradually slow down and momentarily stop so that the plate may bepolished. In the particular construction'illustrated, the bed is in theform of a-l frame which slides in channel guides 10, 11, su ported. fromthe side frames 1,'2, before re erred to, these being best shown in Fig.4. The bed centraltravelling block 16, this block being pivot.

ally mounted on a driving chain 17, this driving chain passing oversprockets 18 and 19 at opposite ends of the machine, the chain alsopassing over, if desired, adjusting sprockets 20, 21 mounted in brackets22 suitably secured to the frame.

It will be observed that With this construction the block rides up anddown in the hanger arms as the chain passes over the sprockets and thismovement is such, as to gradually slow down the movement of the bed andto stop the bed momentarily When the block is at midway position inpassing over the sprocket, this `position being shown in Fig. 2. Withthis construction, therefore,'an easy regular driving movement is giventhe bed and the operator has .a chance to polish the plate When it is inits itreme left, vhand position, considering Bgdachines constructed inaccordance with t-he invention will be capacitated to print onrelatively'thin material, such as a sheet of paper, or lif desired oncomparatively thick material such as cardboard. In the particu.- lar`construction illustrated, Where thin material is to be printed upon,this material is controlled by the impression cylinder duringv theprinting operation and 'is delivered by this cylinder. lVhere a thickmaterial as cardboard is to be printed on, howe`ver, the sheet of suchmaterial is printed by the impression cylinder, the sheet then remainingon -the plate and being removed therefrom after the plate has reachedthe end of the machine opposite the feeding end.

The specific construction for feeding a relai" tively light sheet, aspaper, will be first 4described. y 1 l Referring to Figs. 2, 7, 8 and 9,the shaft 23 of the impression cylinder 5, which may be a blanketedcylinder, such blanketbeing indicated at 24, is mounted in bearings 25supported to slide in guides 26 formed in upwardly extending portions 27of side frames 28 rising from the base 3, before referred to. Thiscylinder is provided With sheettalring devices in the form of grippers29 carried on a gripper shaft 30 suitably mounted in the heads 31, 32 ofthe cylinder.

This gripper shaft is rocked to open 'the grippers at the sheet takingpoint and at the sheet delivery point by means of a tumbler block33'ha`ving a groove 34 in Which take the ends'of pins 35, 35', thistumbler block being 'fast on lthe shaft. The` shaft is rocked. against aspring rod construction which normally holds the grippers closed.

While this spring rod construction lmay be of various characters, in theparticular construction illustrated, on account of the small size of thegripper cylinder the spring rod construction has been adopted by Whichsuflicient spring action can be obtained Within the circumscribedcylinder limits. As shown, the shaft 30 is provided With an arm 36 towhich is secured one end of a rod 37 provided With a spring 38. Theother end of this rod 37 engages with one end of a lever arm 39 pivotedat 40 in the cylinder head, the other end of this lever arm er1- gaginga second rod 41 provided With a spring 42, cured at 43 in the cylinderhead. With this construction a strong closing movement is imparted tothe grippers.

The grippers 29 are opened by the pin 35 to take the head of the sheetso that it is forwarded in proper relation'vvith the vprinting plate P,this position being shown in Fig. 7, andare` operated by the pin 35 toopen and release the sheet at the delivery point,.the parts in thisposition being shown in Fig. 8. i

The sheet lis thus held in the control of the cylinder during theprinting operation and is delivered by the cylinder. In the bestconstructions means are provided by which '-1 the end of the sheet willbe lifted from the cylinder after `it is released by the grippers and,furthermore, in the best constructions strpping devices Will beprovidedco-' operating with the lifters whereby-the sheet i is stripped from thecylinder as the cylinder rotates.' While these desired objects may beeffected in' different Ways, in the particular construction illustratedthe cylinder is provided With a pair of lifting fingers 44 mounted on arock shaft 45 suitably journaled in the heads of the cylinder. Thisshaft at one endbeyond the head is provided With a hub 46 having an arm47 carrying a stud 48 on which is secured a cam roll 49. This cam rollis adapted to ride on a cam 50 secured to one of the side frames beforereferred to;` as clearly shown in Fig. 9,

the cam riding over the face of this plate rocking the shaft and'swinging .the lifter fingers to lift the end of the sheet above thesurface of the cylinder. Located adjacent the cylinder are strippers inthe form of` plates or framesl having bevelled ends 52 the other end ofthis arm being seff and sheet receiving surfaces 53. As the cyl- I inderrotates the'sheet is lifted off the lifters so that the ends projectover the stripper plate and on the continued rotation of the cylinderthe sheet is stripped or lifted therefrom, and the latter readilyremoved by the suitable mechanism which may be varied.

In the particular construction illustrated these pins'are mounted (seeFigs. 7 and 9) to slide in bracketsa secured to' the` frame of themachine, being normally moved toward the left in Fig. 9 by means ofsprings 56, the shanks of the pins being reduced, as

indicated at 57, to forma shoulder against -which one end of the springabuts, and the other end of the spring taking against one of thesupporting brackets. At their outer ends these pins are provided withadjustable abutments in the form of adjusting nuts 58 against whichbearforked arms 59, 60, one of these arms being provided for each pin. Thesearms are fast on rocking studs 61 secured in brackets 62 suitablysecured to the` frame of the machine.\\'l`hese arms are preferablymountedv so as to be moved together,

and in the particularconstruction shown, there is provided arms 63, -64carried on studs, these arms being connected by a link These arms aremanipulated to withdraw the pins from the path `of the tumbler ,block atsuitable times by means of a sleeve cam 66 which operates the cam arm67, thereby causing the yoke arm 59 to move the blocks to the right inFig. 9 and withdraw I d the pins against the laction of the springs 5.6.

CTI

The sleeve cam 66 is operated from any suitable part of the machine, asfrom a rod 68 which, through mechanism hereinafter referred to, acts t'othrow the impression cylinder on and' off impression. This slee-ve cam66 is locked in position on the rod by a set screw 69. When it isdesired for purposes hereinafter referred to, for the pins to becontinuously held out of the path of the tumbler block for any desiredtime, this may be effected by loosening the locking nut 69. sliding thesleeve cam upwardly on the rod so that the' cam arm 67 is prevented frommoving downwardly. The" parts will thus be held in such position, thesleeve cam being again locked in its adjusted position, with the pinspermanently held out of the path of the tumbler block.

The sheets are or may be fed to the 'press' on an inclined feedboard 70supported on brackets or standards71 on the side frames' of the machine,the sheets being fed down this part by hand or in any other suitable wayagainst a stop finger 72 which acts to properly tposition thesheets sothat they may be taken by the grippers. Where the sheets are thus fedagainst the stop linger means will be employed for withdrawingA thefinger or stop out of the way of the grippers so that the latter canseize the sheets. The particular construction for effecting this may besomewhat varied, but in the particular construction illustrated the stopfingers are carried on blocks 73 fast on the rock shaft 74 suitablyjournaled in the brackets or standards 71, before referred to. This rocksha-ft has secured thereto at one side a rocking plate 75 (see Fig. 2)to one side of which is Secured a spring rod construction 76. v Theother side of this plate has connected thereto a link 77 which isconnectedl at its other end to one end of a lever arm 78 pivoted on astud 80 (see Fig. 7 .the

other end of thislever arm carrying a cam roll 81. This cam roll isarranged to contact with a bar cam 82 removably secured as by screws 83to the side of the plate support 4, before referred to. The stop fingersare thus normally held in up position by the spring 76 and are moveddownwardly through the roll 81 running on the 'operating face of the4bar cam, this operating face projecting forwardly beyond the bed, asshown in Figs. 2 and- 7, so that the stop tinger is dropped at theproper time to enable the grippers to take the sheet from the board. Ifdesi-redl guide fingers, indicated if:

at 84 in Fig. 7, may be provided, these fingers extending above andforwardly of the feed boardso as to space the leading end of the sheetfrom the cylinderand thus ensuring the grippers taking the sheet.

With Athis construction as so far described thesheet is taken by thegrippers as the bed comes intol printing relation withi-the impressioncylinder. and is carried forward and around the impress'on cylinder anddelivered from the top side thereof. If de sired margin rollers,indicated in Figs. 2

and 7 by the numeral 85, may be provided the machine at 86 arms 87.These farms" are t split arms connected by a screw bolt 88 havingadjusting collars 89. The upper end of the arms`87 are pivoted at 90 toshort arms 91 on a rock shaft 92 taking in bearings 93 4suitably formedin the side frames, before, referred to.

At one side of the machiney there islprovided an operating arm 94 (seeFig. 2) the other end lof this varm beingiconnected at 95 vto the upperend of the rod 68, before referred to. By making or breaking the togglethus formed the cylinder is thrown into printing relation with the plateand removed therefrom after the printing operation.

The operation of the rod 68 by which this is efected is or ma beautomatic. In the particular construction illustrated, the lower end ofthis rodI is secured to an arm 96 of a lever 97 pivoted at 98 on asecond lever 99;

The other arm 100 of the lever 97 is secured to one end of an operatingrod 101, the

' other yend of this operating rod being con- Y Fig. 2, this movementcausing a making of foot treadle y110.

- chine.

the toggle, and throwing the cylinder on the ,impression against aspring 103, this spring acting to break the toggle when the rod 101 isfreed by the cam to alloiv it tomove to the right in Fig. 2.

Means are provided for locking the pivote point 98 of t-he operatinglever 97 so that the rod 101 can effect its toggle making and breakingfunction, and means forbreaking this lock so that if desired themovement of the rod 101 will not make the toggle, s) that the cylindercan be left offimpression when desired. In the yparticular constructionillustrated.` the lever 99 is pivoted at 104;-- -in a bracket 105suitably secured to the frame of the machine. This lever has an arm 106to which is connected a spring rod construction 107. Th'e lever-is alsoprovided with a latching arm 108 provided with a notch 109 and the leveris provided with a CO-operating with the locking arm of the lever is alatch 111 on the cross shaft 112, this shaft being provided at each sideof the machine with operating pedals 113. Connected with the latch is arod 114 which, at its other end is se, cured to a lever arm 115 pivotedon a shaft 116, this shaft being provided with operating treadles 117 ateachside of th-e ma- Tlie lever arm 115 is connected to the spring rodconstruction 118.

With this construction` when the parts are in the position shown in Fig.2 with the foot treadle pressed down aga-inst the spring l107 the partsare in latched position and provide an abutment against which the rod101 may Work tooperate the toggle actu ating rod 68 to effectthe makingand break ing of the toggle. If, hoever, either of the levers117 or 113are depressed the latch 111 is removed from the notch 109 where'- uponthe movement of the rod 101 will cause the lever 99 to rock on the pivot104 and the `toggle Will remain broken until the parts are returned to.the position shown in Fig. 2.

As before stated it is very often desirable in this type of machine toprint on a thick sheet, such as cardboard or other similar niaterial tooheavy to be handled by the impression cylinder, and the present machineis capacitated to do this. lVhen such heavy material is to be printed,the sheet after it has been printed rcma'-ins on the plate and passesWith thc plate under the wiping and inking mechanisms, which have beenlifted tion of the toggle operating rod 68, and by removal of the barcam 82 the spring 76 will render the stop 'linger 72 inoperative. Theresuch heavy material is to be fed a removable back stop 120 is providedon the feedboard 70, this stop being adjustable to provide forpredetermined sheet lengths, this stop being arranged on the feedboardso that the sheet when placed in position on the board against the stopWill be positioned to lbe nipped between the cylinder and the plate andfor- -ivarded through for printing.

In machines embodymg the invention in its best form, means will beprovided for heating the plate support and plate so as to keep the inkin the desired condition of fini-dity, and in the best form of theinvention this heating means will be electrical. lVhile various devicesmay be employed for this purpose, a convenient one is that shown indetail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. As there shown, tlere is provided anelectrical circuit includinfr a pair of conductor rails 121, 122 incircuit with a line indicated by a I) through Whichcurrent is ldeliveredfrom any suitable source of electrical supply, not illustrated. Thebedisprovi'ded withSi heating elements in the form of apair of conductorbars 123, 124, which are supplied with current from a pair ofshoesi125,l126 through circuits 12T. 128. These conductor rails aredimensioned to transmit the required degree of heat to loo the bed tokeep the ink in the desired fluid condition.

The mechanism is or may be driven from a` suitable source of power, as a'motor 129. which through a belt 130 drives the main driving shaft .131.From the' shaft 131 Vthrough a train"of gears 132,-133, 134` 135,

136` is driven a gear 137 on a shaft 138 extending lengthwise of themachine. This shaft 138 has at each end a gear 139 by which the carrierchain sprockets 18, 19, before referred to, are driven through a gear140 on the sprocket shafts 141. Impression cylinder 5 -is driven fromthe gear 136 through an intermediate 142 and a gear 143 on the impression cylinder shaft. The cam shaft 102, before referred to,isfdriven from the shaft 131'through a gear 144 on a shaft 145 having aWorm 14 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig; 1. i

Theinkin g mechanism is driven from the gear 139 through a gear 147 ontheshaft 148 of the sprocket 19 through a train of gears 14.9, o, 151.

The wiping mechanism is ldriven from the shaft 181 through gears 152,153, and intermediates 154, 155. This driving mechanism is shown onlydiagrammatically, as it is not` necessary for an understanding of thepresent invention, and any suitable or desirable driving arrangement,other than tliat indicated may be used asdesired.

lVitli the construction shown and 'described a plate printing machinehas been produced capacitated to handle either light or heavy sheetsWithout any rearrangement of the press, and a machine which may becontinuously operated but which at the same time will give anopportunity for the hand polishing of the plate at one end of the plateand delivery ofthe heavy products of the plate from the other end of themachine.

lVhile the specific mechanisms shown and described are those preferred,it will be understood that various changes may be made f in certainmechanisms Without departing from the invention as defined in theappended claims.

lVhat I claim is: i l

1. Iii a plate printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport, a cooperating iiiipression cylinder, and means whereby aproduct may be delivered by the impression cylinder after printing or.remain on .the plate and be delivered therefrom after the plate haspassed the impression cylinder.

2. In a plate printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport, a c0- operating impression cylinder, means for tripping thecylinder on and oft1 impression, sheet taking ldevices on the cylinder,and means for preventing the action of the sheet taking devices Withoutstopping theoperation of the tripping means.

3. In a plate 'printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport, a cooperating impression cylinder, Jmeans for tripping thecylinderon and oft' impression,

,I and means l'whereby a product may be delivered by the impressioncylinder after print ing orremain on the plate and be deliveredtherefrom after the plate has passed the impression cylinder.

4. In a plate printing machine, the coinbination of a travelling platesupport, a cof operating impression cylinder, means for tripping thecylinder oii and off impression, sheet taking devices on the cylinderwhich control the sheet during printing and from which the sheet isdelivered after"printing, and means for silencing the operation of thesheet taking devices Without stopping the operation of the trippingmeans.

.5. In a plate printing machine, tlie combination of'a travelling platesupport, a cooperating impression cylinder, means for tripping thecylinder on and 0E impression, ysheet taking devices on the cylinder,land connections from the tripping means for operating the sheet takingdevices Without effecting the operation of the tripping means.

6. In a plate printing machine, the combiiiation of a travelling platesupport, a cooperating impi'ession' cylinder, means for tripping thecylinder on and olf impression, gripi'iers on the cylinder, connectionsfrom .the tripping means foi' operating the sheet taking devices, andmeans for preventing the action of the sheet tali-ing devices vvith-4out ,stopping the operation of the tripping means. A

7. In a plate printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport', acooperating impression cylinder, a toggle for tripping the.cylinder onv and ofi' impression,

a rod for opera-ting the toggle, grippers on the cylinder, connectionsfrom the rodfor operating the grippers and means for presoV venting theoperation of the connections Without interfering With the operation ofthe rod.

\ 8. In a plate printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport, a cooperating impression cylinder, a toggle for tion of aprinting member, a 'co-operating impression cylinder, means for trippingthe cylinder on and olf impression, grippers carried by the cylinder,connections `)from the tripping means for operating lthegrippers, andmeans for preventing the operation of the grippers Without interferingwith the operation of the tripping means.

` 11. In a plate printing machine, the combination of a plate support, aco-operatin impression cylinder and inling, wiping an polishingmechanism, means for reciproeating the support past these devices, meanswhereby a product may be delivered by the impression cylinderafterprinting or remain on the plate for delivery therefrom, and

means for causing a dwell of the support beyond the impression cylinderAand inking mechanism. i I 12. In a plate printing machine, thecombination of a travelling plate support, a cooperating impressioncylinder, means whereby afproduct may be delivered by the impressioncylinder after printing or remain on the plate for delivery therefrom,and means for heating the support and plate.

13. In a plate printing machine, the combination of a travellingV platesupport, a con operating;- impression cylinder, means whereby a productmay be delivered by the impression cylinder after printing or remain onthe plate for delivery therefrom, means for heating! the support andplate, and means for causing' a dwell o1? the support at 'differentpoints in its path.

14. In al plate printing machine, the combination of a travelling platesupport, a cooperating impression cylinder, means operable fromdifferent points of the machine for tripping the cylinder on and offimpression, and means whereby a product may he delivered by theimpression cylinder after livered therefrom'after the plate has'p s theimpression cylinder.

r 15. In a plate printing machine, the coin-j printing or remain on theplate and be 'dc-,520

bination of a travelling plate support, a co-"fy operating impressioncylinder, means operable from different points of the machine tortripping thecylmder on and off impression,

sheet taking devices on the cylinder, conmyJ hand` f ED'WA RD P.SHELDON.

